Welton appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann to talk about Brit Hume’s proselytizing on Fox News. Watch the segment below.
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Among the fundamental characteristics of American civic life is “Freedom of Religion” and the disapproval of a “State sponsored Religion” — whatever it may be. Unwritten, however understood within that context is that ‘personal religious views’ are just that — “Personal” — and that one has the right and privilege to believe as one wishes.
That said, it does sound almost ‘Un-American’ to have a commentator on American TV speak to a world celebrity, also an American — and suggest to him the advantages of switching from one personal faith to another. There is something about such a discourse taking place on public American TV (and not a private living room) which feels terribly uncomfortable.
Matters of ‘Religion’ are private matters and it strikes me as far more in keeping with American tradition that they remain that way.
It is apparent, if not obvious, that the movement known as Dominion Christianity has not only taken root but grown exponetially during the Bush years.
In addition to wide spread coercive and command centered Christian proselytizing in our armed forces, I see a burgeoning extremist Christian presence in the coporporate community, specifically in the more conservative companies such as Fox (News Corp)
It is my hope this wiill be recognized and thwarted before the James Dobsons, Rick Warrens, John Hagees, Rod Parsley’s and other propounders of Christian Supremacy can total control of America’s majority religion and bastardize the Consitution.
Watch for more evidence of this Christan Putsch and the march to Christian world dominance.
For more info on the Christian incursion into the military, go here:
militaryreligiousfreedom.com
I wonder how much attention anyone pays these days to Jesus’ simple six-word (at least in the King James version) warning, proscription, mantra…call it what you will. Direct (as anything might be) from the lips of Jesus: “Judge not, lest you be judged.”
Speaking of one’s religion is indeed a right, to be used responsibly in a secular society, as well as a privilege we ideally share in this democracy.
Speaking directly to the state of someone’s soul, on the other hand, is rather a dicey thing, unless one is that person’s confessor, minister, rabbi, guru… spiritual guide of whatever sort. It seems to me the most blatant judgmentalism to direct comments about the state of someone’s soul not only to that person, but to an entire television audience. Does Mr. Hume condemn himself, then, on the basis of his treading into places Jesus himself warned not to go?
It seems to me, too, that there’s one other handy piece of advice from the Christian gospels that Mr. Hume has overlooked in his…er…”enthusiasm.” That’s the little piece about removing the 2-by-4 (Jesus was a carpenter, after all) from one’s own eye before one attempts to remove a mote of dust from the eye of another person. Something we might all hold with some respect?!
Agree with Michael Corrigan’s comments. I also thought Keith Olberman made a powerful challenge to us when he slightly rephrased Mr. Hume’s comments and inserted the word “islam” for “Christianity.” How does that make us Christians feel? Changes the dynamics, doesn’t it? Just as valid, but we don’t like it somehow. Too much imagery of “Muslim fundamentalists.” Perhaps Muslims, Jews and Buddhists don’t like the imagery of “Christian fundamentalists” much, either.
Better advice would have been to “get back to one’s faith, whatever tradition one follows, and search for forgiveness and healing.” As Rev. Welton points out wisely, Christianity doesn’t hold the monopoly; Judaism, Islam, and other faiths all have deep faith-based mechanisms for forgiveness and healing… but as in any religion, they need to be practiced by the adherents.
The thing I find most disturbing about this all is that if one wanted to listen to right-wing fundamentalist Christian preaching, there’s a channel for that, and you can voluntarily switch to it. Then, you know what you’re getting and you can listen to all those “preachers” tell you how much better their brand of Christianity is and how everyone else is going to hell. But on a channel that purports to be presenting “objective and unbiased news” (although we all know it’s not really true) then these comments have no place on this channel… that is, if Fox wants to maintain at least the façade of “objective and unbiased news.”
I think it is Mr. Gaddy who is confused. I don’t expect non-Christians to understand this, but a man who has studied the Bible and presents himself as a teacher of it should have the understanding that Christianity is unique and vastly different from any other religion for two reasons. No other religion in the world is based on accurate, verifiable prophecies like those found in the Bible. No other book exists like the bible, which was written by more than 40 different authors who lived continents and hundreds of years apart and spoke (wrote) different languages. Jesus was crucified because he claimed to be God, but he then proved it with His resurrection. No other religion has a risen messiah, much less one who can offer the forgiveness and salvation that only our Creator can truly offer. If you don’t understand this, Mr. Gaddy, then please stop calling yourself a Christian, or at least stop holding yourself out as a minister. Your ridicule of Mr. Hume was disgusting, to put it nicely. For anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear, I highly recommend C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity.” Mr. Lewis was hardly a fundamentalist or member of the so called “religious right,” but I know he’d have nothing but praise for Mr. Hume, pity for Mr. Olberman, and contempt for Mr. Gaddy.
As a member of Dr. Gaddy’s congregation, Northminster Church in Monroe Louisiana, let me share what I know about this wonderful man. He epitomizes the true meaning of love, grace, and understanding. Everything Dr. Gaddy has taught me, through his sermons, has I hope helped me become a better Christian and a more loving and accepting person. Paraphrasing, Dr. Gaddy has often said, if we just love one another, we will be fulfilling God’s expectations for us. The Christian Right seems to have misplaced that principle somewhere along the way. If we would only love others who are different from us, be it of race, or beliefs, what a great start toward a more peaceful world. I hope I would never judge someone, based on their beliefs, that is not my job or that of the Christian Right. What a simple concept, love for each other, it’s not so complicated as some would have us believe!
I’m sorry, Mr. Boone, but this “wonderful man” heaped scorn and ridicule – not love – on Mr. Hume when he appeared with Keith Olberman. His opening statement was dripping with sarcasm. Stop labeling everyone who disagrees with him – and you – as the Christian Right. You sound brainwashed.
Our job as Christians is to uphold the truth and share the good news of who Jesus was, and is, and the incredible change he can work in our lives – that none other can do, including Buddha and Muhammed. Buddha died a long time ago, and stayed dead, as did Muhammed. Jesus is alive and well, and those who broke bread with him for 40 days following His death on the cross all died horrific, torturous deaths for their refusal to renounce their witness of His resurrection. Nobody dies for a lie. Jesus is God, and it is a lie to say that Christianity is equivalent to Islam, Buddhism, or any other religion. A lie is a lie, and saying it with love does not make it true, or helpful to the person hearing it.
Mr. Gaddy said that Brit Hume was trying to somehow impose Christianity on Tiger Woods. Simply put, Gaddy, you are wrong. Brit Hume didn’t try to impose anything on Tiger, he simply offered the Christian way of belief as an option. Furthermore, you blew your credibility by appearing on “Countdown”. Keith Olbermann lied when he said Hume was “threatening” Tiger Woods. Olbermann’s show is simply a smelly package of fradulent journalism, lies, insults, hate-spewing and hypocrisy. Oops, almost forgot – lots of cowardice as well. Notice how there wasn’t an opposing view on that segment, sir? That’s because Keith Olbermann is too cowardly to debate anybody on his show. Ever. This is a well-known fact about “Countdown”.
George B. has some problems of his own. Every religion has a mythology of its own, and Christianity is no exception. People of every religion believe in their own mythologies because it gives them comfort in times of stress.
Jesus is alive and well only in those who are adherents of the Christian faith. To them, his SPIRIT is alive and well, not his physical presence. Indeed, if he ever lived at all — and may religious scholars have issues on that subject — he’s been dead for nearly 2,000 years.
Lastly, Hume’s comments were entirely inappropriate, making claims about Tiger’s faith of which he has little knowledge, and about his own of which he apparently has less…as evidenced by his comments smacking, like all Christian fundamentalists, of intolerance.
It is the radical left and their comments that smack of intolerance.
I think mr. keith Olbermann and Rev Gaddy are both LOST they need to read John 14:6
Doug McAllen – You have injected a complete fabrication to make your point. No sensible scholar – religious or otherwise would debate whether Jesus ever lived at all. His life here on earth was certainly not a myth – in fact, it was recorded in the historical records of the Roman Empire.
Now, I won’t even try to persuade you that He was resurrected, much less that He is physically alive to this day. You are not intellectually curious enough to ponder the fact that hundreds of people who witnessed His resurrection – and spoke with Him directly – were put to death for their testimony. The apostle Peter’s life was ended, for example, when Nero crucified him upside down. Others were burned at the stake.
Regarding His life here on earth, though, here is some evidence to corroborate the Biblical record:
The Bible says that Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea and the man who issued the official order for Jesus to be sentenced to death by crucifixion (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 18-19). In June of 1961 a team of Italian archaeologists, led by Dr. Antonio Frova, were excavating the Mediterranean port city of Caesarea that had at one time served as the Roman capital of Palestine. It was there in the jumbled ruins of an ancient Roman theater that they uncovered a large 2’ x 3’, 5” or so thick, limestone rock. The inscription on the rock amazed the archaeologists. It read in: “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea, has presented the Tiberium to the Caesareans.” (Scholars believe that the Tiberium refers to a temple or some other kind of public structure named after the Roman emperor Tiberius, who reigned from 14–37 A.D.) This stone is on display today in the Israel Museum as a testimony to the reliability of the Bible.